wizmacnz

I've been very quiet here of late. Well actually I'm shocked that it's been more than 18 months since I last posted anything. The "day job" has been a bit all consuming. I have been doing a bit of modelling for 3D printing. Mainly in response to specific requests. Everything that I model for a specific person is subsequently available for anyone to buy, so I don't charge any premium for producing a custom design. So go ahead and ask! Most recent request was for some chimney pots for Metcalfe Terraced Houses.

Well maybe I underestimated the affluence of my fellow hobbyists. Today some kind person bought two of them.

The footbridges are available in OO scale, but I'm afraid they are pretty expensive. The 3D print bureau Shapeways charges by volume in the print machine as one of the key price driving factors and although it doesn't use that much printed material the volume drives the price high. The idea of making it in components to put together yourself is a good idea, and could reduce costs. It would require me to make some design changes and probably require printing in a different material that will take strong glue joints. For those with bulging wallets, here is the link to the OO scale model. https://www.shapeways.com/product/SKBVBSYJ8/footbridge-type-4-oo-scale

Following on quickly from the three platform three track bridge is the three platform four track bridge. Ideal for the larger station. Currently only available in N Scale from Shapeways at US$29.

I've just released for sale a new footbridge design in N scale to suit 3 platforms. This version spans a twin track then a single. No doubt I'll create a version to span two sets of twin track soon. At US$27 I believe it is very competitively priced. Not that I've seen anyone else selling something like this anyway.

Arched sash windows will be pretty easy to model. Just something I've never got around to. I suppose if someone gives me a picture of a prototype or some dimensions it might encourage me to get around to it. I've already made some lean to canopy trusses. I think at two different pitches. Here's a picture of the shallower pitched truss used on a customers layout. (I do have his permission to use the photograph he sent me). I have valancing to suit, but I'm not sure if I have created the gable panel for the shallower truss. I can quickly create one if someone's interested. My Type 2 Valance goes at the eaves. And the Type 3 Valance cut in half will close off the end for the steeper pitch truss. I also have roofing panels, but although I think they look great, are a bit pricey because of the amount of material that has to be printed. Not so tricky to make your roofing from card, although, being biased, I have to say it would have looked better if you had used one of mine. I have many roofing panels available, but most are not put on display for sale. I'm waiting for the printing costs to come down, as they inevitably will at some time.

I've finally finished updating all my current range of 3D printed doors. A useful information sheet can be downloaded from http://www.modelrailwaystructures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Door-Range-1.pdf To browse through the doors with sizes and pricing go to my website page. http://www.modelrailwaystructures.com/doors/ Pricing shown on my website is for HO scale. At Shapeways you can select the scale that you want and the price is updated. OO and HO are similar in price. N Scale is normally cheaper than OO even though it is printed in a more expensive material. S Scale and O Scale uses more material and is therefore more expensive.

I'm following your thread with interest. Particularly interested in your use of York Modelmakers doors and windows, but was prompted to actually comment by the chimney breast and fireplace. Now I'm not particularly skilled or patient with a knife, so I started modelling my "trick bits" and having them 3D printed at Shapeways. I've also made all the models available for others to buy, and have adapted them when requested or even modeled brand new things for others if I think there will be a general demand for them. One of the things I've modeled is chimney breast with fireplace. Yours looks great, but mine is just plonk and stick. Anyway apart from just wanting to say "what an interesting thread", because my layout is back in the design stage, I thought you might be interested to know that there are quite a few of my plonk and stick items at https://www.shapeways.com/shops/modelrail if you are ever looking for some modeling time savers.

Well I lost an argument with Shapeways and have had to change material that they are printed in. Basically they were saying that my design was too close to their design limits to print consistently at OO scale. Strange though that they could print one that I ordered at HO scale. The material cross section on that was obviously thinner, and it was actualy the HO model that was the one that I used to set the design standards for the model. The bench seats are therefore all now made only as sets of 6 in FUD. This is slightly cheaper than the previous price for 6 seats made in WSF. Because the FUD has a $5 per print job standard overhead, printing a single seat is just not viable.

They are all available from my Shapeways shop. If you are not familiar with Shapeways, they print once you have placed your order. They handle all the money and the postage and packaging and pay me a small portion of the money as a designer fee. The process is explained in a bit more detail on my website http://www.modelrailwaystructures.com/about/ The seats are available at Shapeways (I've sent you some direct links by PM)., but my website hasn't caught up yet. Shapeways print the objects either in Holland or the USA. For us kiwi's the post and packaging can be a bit steep. But it's the same price however much you order. I tend to wait until I have enough on my shopping list to make it worthwhile. Also every now and then they have free global postage offers.

Well in response to the request from Wigan Wallgate, I've produced some more modern seating types. It made a pleasant distraction from remodelling and re-scaling doors There are now 16 different types of door, which will be available in OO, HO and N Scale. Most will also be available in a variety of sizes. This has meant a lot of repetitive resizing and rescaling. Fortunately I'm through the worst of it.

Well subject to the limitations I'm currently operating under, as mentioned a few posts above, I'm always interested in new ideas and challenges. What did you have in mind?

I often get asked to put together items in larger batches in particular sizes. The beauty of 3D printing is that it's pretty easy to do if the computer model has been set up correctly. It's easiest if the object has a hole in it that allows a loop of plastic to pass through it. This links all the objects together through the printing and cleaning process and allows Shapeways to process it as a single part. Doing this certainly keeps down the cost per part. Below is a batch of doors made in HO scale to suit particular opening sizes requested by the customer. There are 40 of the single door and 10 of the double doors. The windows below were a batch prepared for a war gamer wanting particular windows and sizes to build a diorama.

I made these park benches for OO scale modelers some time ago. They have now been re-scaled and made available at 1:148 scale for N scale.

Work, a damaged shoulder and interminable house alterations have somewhat limited my ability to sit in front of the computer in the evenings and create new models for 3D printing. I have been able to get a little more done recently. One of the things I've been working on is classical columns. Not the easiest of things to make in card or plastic if you want to have the correct form of taper in the column. Easy to replicate though with 3D printing. The columns are available on Shapeways at various sizes, to allow you to make anything from a simple front porch for a georgian house, to an imposing facade for a civic building. I've put a couple together with a door and a couple of steps as a single printed item that can be stuck on the front of scratchbuilt building. The columns have yet to make it onto my website http://www.modelrailwaystructures.com but can be found at my Shapeways shop at https://www.shapeways.com/shops/modelrail . Updating the website is another one of those tasks that has got a bit behind.